Quinceañera Planning Checklist: Everything You Need (2024)

• First of all, what exactly does a quinceañera celebrate?
• Book the perfect quinceañera venue through Peerspace
• Source the dresses with input from the birthday girl
• Drum up the court and book the church
• Secure the flowers and the rest of the décor
• Design a menu to make your guests’ mouths water
• Be sure to order the elaborate quinceañera cake well in advance
• Book live music or a DJ and prepare to dance

Never been to a quinceañera? That’s soon to change. An increasing percentage of the United States has Latinx roots, and this ceremony is the most important day in a young lady’s life. Whether you’re an event planner or an esteemed guest, there’s bound to be a quinceañera fiesta in your near future.

Lucky you! They’re super fun. So, what is a quinceañera? It’s a young woman’s 15th birthday party – “quince” means 15 and “años” means years. Since it’s a feminine word, it isn’t used to refer to males. The word “quinceañera” is also used to refer to the birthday girl herself. Here, we’ll share with you the ultimate quinceañera planning checklist to help you get organized.

Along with this checklist, Peerspace can help you out with another crucial aspect of the quince your planning. The location! After all, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly event venue rentals. And yes, this includes thousands of venues across the country that are sensational choices for hosting a quinceañera! Check us out today and see what we have available near you.

First of all, what exactly does a quinceañera celebrate?

Shortened to just “quince,” the ceremony celebrates a girl transitioning into womanhood. This goodbye to childhood and embrace of maturity is a huge deal among people of Mexican heritage, and it is also popular in other Latin American countries and among Latinx families everywhere.

Are quinceañeras similar to a Sweet 16?

Quinces are much more elaborate and ceremonial than the Sweet 16 party that it’s so often compared to. Yes, it’s a birthday party, but a better analogy would be a bat mitzvah because both cultural ceremonies are initiation rites commemorating the transition into adulthood. A quince is simultaneously a religious and a civic event, though less devout families sometimes choose to skip the spiritual aspect.

What ceremonies are involved with a quinceañera?

A quinceañera looks a lot like an ornate prom, debutante party, and wedding combined, centered on a selected theme such as Cinderella, Western, or Parisian – all of which are currently trending. The birthday girl chooses what’s called a “court” of agemates, male and female, to accompany her to her ball. And this court metaphorically and literally stands up and vouchs for her as a wedding party does for a marrying couple.

And as with initiation ceremonies worldwide, there are gifts, food, dancing, glorious formal attire, flowers, rituals, and tears of joy and sentimentality.

There are a lot of moving parts to a quince. Attending to all the little details will make for a grand gala fitting of the birthday princess.

To simplify the complexities of the bash while honoring its significance, here is a quinceañera planning checklist.

Learn more by reading: How much does it cost to rent a quinceañera venue?

Book the perfect quinceañera venue through Peerspace

First things first on the quinceañera planning checklist – book a venue. A quince venue requires specific attributes comparable to those necessary to hold a wedding and reception in one. An average of approximately 125-150 people will be in attendance, depending on the size of the young lady’s family and her court (see below). There will need to be a large dance floor, a space for food, gifts, and tables and chairs.

Check out Peerspace to find one of the thousands of unique venues that fit the bill. As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, we offer you access to countless event venues that can serve as the perfect quinceañera party space for your daughter and guests.

Below, we share a few of our favorite quince-perfect venues in cities across the country, just to give you a sampling of what’s available.

West Coast

This downtown Los Angeles banquet hall (pictured above) is a great example of the type of venue that’s traditionally booked for a quinceañera. It’s large and fancy enough to host such a special day, with its ornate décor and sizeable square footage.

Past guests have left Peerspace reviews that mention aspects like, “This venue was incredible” and “Great hosts! Very responsive and helpful. Space as described and very clean”. Words that will make any parent feel great about hosting their daughter’s party here!

Our readers north of LA in the Bay Area may prefer to check out this boutique 1903 Victorian-style ballroom in San Francisco. This massive space provides room for 140 guests and provides chairs, tables, food and drink packages, and a sound system.

“Helpful and friendly staff -Generous with amenities.” shares a Peerspace reviewer of this SF ballroom venue. “Beautiful space -Very flexible, accomodating event coordinator who gives excellent suggestions while respecting preferences”

Midwest

Or, take a look at this Chicago banquet hall that can accommodate up to 250 people. It includes banquet seating, a commercial kitchen, and plenty of A/V equipment. Plus, it’s another Peerspace venue with plenty of five-star reviews.

Like this one, from a professional party organizer: “First off, I will use this venue again and again. It is the perfect setup for any gathering. Bill the owner was absolutely awesome. He worked well with me as I was coordinating with him from out of town. When I got there I didn’t have to have him do anything.”

For Peerspace users in Minneapolis, check out this large dance studio event space in Loring Park. It has space for 75 guests, unique architecture, and eclectic decor that the birthday girl and her guests will love to explore. While here, make use of the on-site furniture, the two stages, the large dance floor, the A/V equipment, and the outdoor area.

The South

If you’re in the Dallas, TX area, this downtown Arlington event space may be perfect for you. It has room for about 150 guests, a sound system, a stage, multiple tables and chairs, a kitchen, and an outdoor space.

The host is also happy to work with you in selecting the perfect vendors for your quince and can ensure your vision comes across in every stage of the planning process.

For our Atlanta Peerspacers, check out this historic Victorian production space. It’s a gorgeous 13,500-square-foot venue with tables, chairs, and a kitchen. Since it’s an event space that’s part of a historic mansion, your guests will marvel at the architecture as well as its beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces.

“Amazing venue as well as amazing onsite coordinator,” says a Peerspace user in their helpful review. “The space was just what we were looking for and we will definitely book this space again.”

East Coast

On the East Coast? Then check out this iconic industrial space in Boston for up to 150 guests. It boasts 34′ ceilings, tables and chairs, and plenty of space to set up catering, a dance floor, and decor.

We also love this Bryant Park modern aesthetics loft event space in Midtown Manhattan, NY. It is a spacious ballroom venue with room for 125 guests, a full kitchen, A/V equipment, and tables and chairs.

“A special thank you to the team at Bryant Park Lofts,” shares a Peerspace reviewer. “From the moment I contacted the team here everything worked very smoothly. All of my needs were met, and the team was excellent to communicate with before and during the event. The space is beautifully designed and gives a great impression for you and your guests.”

Extra support from your venue’s host

One of the best parts about using Peerspace? All spaces are hosted by locals who support your event. In fact, you can reach out to them at any point leading up to and during your quinceañera if you need extra help with the party planning.

While many venues come fully loaded with all the party essentials you need, hosts can share their recommendations for catering, entertainment, decor, and more if not. This type of personalized support is challenging to come by elsewhere, yet is totally standard with Peerspace!

Source the dresses with input from the birthday girl

Right after you book the venue, the second step on the quinceañera planning checklist is to start on the quest for a dress. However, some families opt to find the gown before anything else or already have a garment from a family member to wear.

Sprinkled throughout Latinx neighborhoods are the boutiques of seamstresses who specialize in designing and sewing quinceañera gowns, which can cost as much as wedding dresses. Generally, the birthday girl selects a color theme, which in the past was almost always white or pink, and is now 100 percent up to her. She selects her dress, the court’s clothing, and the flowers and decorations around that theme.

Very often, the quinceañera will wear a total of three dresses throughout the course of the event – one for the religious aspect, one for the reception, and one for the special father-daughter dance. The father or father-figure representative will change the birthday girl’s shoes from flats to heels as a symbol of her initiation into womanhood. So account in the budget for several new pairs.

Drum up the court and book the church

Chances are good that the birthday girl has known since childhood who her quince court will be. The traditional court consisted of 14 couples plus the birthday girl and her escort, for a total of 30 people.

Contemporary quinces tend to be smaller, but not by much. The escort is the Man of Honor and is usually her boyfriend, but it’s totally okay for her to go sans escort or with another important male figure in her life. Figure out and assign their attire as soon as possible.

Once you’ve figured out the time, date, and location of the event, send out invites as soon as possible out of courtesy to guests and begin planning in earnest. A solid headcount will help with every other step of the planning process. When the venue is booked, the quinceañera can begin to operationalize the theme of her gala, too.

Many quinces start with a religious ceremony called the Misa de Accion de Gracias – or the Mass of Giving Thanks – so the church will need to be reserved as well.

Secure the flowers and the rest of the décor

Using the color theme and motif of the party as guides, select flowers that represent the birthday girl’s personality and a decoration scheme to realize her vision. This can be done independently or with the assistance of a florist and/or party decorator.

Also, if you’re booking a quinceañera venue through Peerspace, this is another area in which your choice of venue shines. You can actually book venues that operate as flower shops for your event space! Other spaces are owned by designers and event planners who can offer their floral arrangement expertise on-site.

For instance, New York City-based Peerspacers can book this Tribeca unique and cozy space for parties of about 35-40 guests. The host not only offers fresh floral designs to decorate the already beautiful venue, but they can also provide gourmet desserts and meal catering. Booking such a thoughtful venue like this may just save you a few small headaches!

Design a menu to make your guests’ mouths water

Speaking of food! Quinces don’t always feature Latin food but many still do, with grandmothers and aunts coming together to provide the giant feast. Whether or not that’s an option, a major step on the quinceañera planning checklist is to figure out what the guests will eat.

This is often determined by the budget, or vice versa – the food might contribute to determining the budget for the entire event.

For more details, check out: How to plan a quinceañera, our full guide!

Be sure to order the elaborate quinceañera cake well in advance

As with a wedding, an elaborate multitiered cake is central to the quinceañera. It is, after all, a birthday party!

As with seamstresses who specialize in quince dresses, certain bakers in Latinx communities are the go-to cake makers. You will need to order the cake well in advance of the event.

Book live music or a DJ and prepare to dance

Most quinceañeras opt for mariachi music if they live in a part of the world where live mariachi bands are available. Of course, she can choose to have a DJ or whatever other style of instrumentation she chooses – it’s her big day, after all.

Traditionally females were not to dance with grown men until they turned 15, so the dance aspect of the ceremony is actually an indication that she is no longer a child. The first dance is generally a waltz that takes place after the changing of the shoe with the birthday girl’s father or another paternal representative.

Looking for a gorgeous ballroom-like venue to make the most of this idea? Then you need to see this suburban dance studio in Winchester, MA. It has space for 100 guests and includes the use of the elegant ballroom, complete with chandeliers and wall mirrors.

Quinceañera planning checklist: conclusion

Although these steps aren’t necessarily in perfect order, this quinceañera planning checklist should serve as an excellent guide to the basic elements of the ceremony. Just keep in mind that the point of the event is joy and that the main goal is celebrating life transitions.

Once you have chosen the perfect Peerspace venue, a lot of the other details should fall into place. Especially if you utilize the help of your venue’s local host! ¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Find unique quinceañera party venues on Peerspace